tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post3409737676689176435..comments2024-03-27T13:12:00.821-05:00Comments on RAYTOWN REPORT: Been There, Done ThatGreg Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02133276387013984873noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-57942289294869846352007-10-27T16:42:00.000-05:002007-10-27T16:42:00.000-05:00Andy is right again, how much longer can Raytown ...Andy is right again, how much longer can Raytown really afford to be a city? If we were a corporation we would definately be looking at a take over.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-43002876813230395742007-10-27T11:40:00.000-05:002007-10-27T11:40:00.000-05:00Anonymous 8:36 AM,Welcome to the city and to the b...Anonymous 8:36 AM,<BR/>Welcome to the city and to the blog. I live in a dark area with very few street lights and would like to have a few more. About the only lighting we have is if someone turns on a yard light or if there is a full moon.<BR/><BR/>Yes, I did call street lights a trivial matter but went on to say they were important but a small part of the over all big picture. The main issue, as I see it, is: 1)wasteful spending (high paid tie wearing, seat warmers who take out of town trips or vacations at taxpayers expense), <BR/>2) spending excessive money on downtown redevelopment with no progress, <BR/>3)harrassing citizens and new businesses with aledged code violations while the city owns a blighted area that is one big code violation.<BR/>4) areas of mismanagement such as spending $20,000 so 2 groups can be doing the same job at the same time! It is not the $20K I take issue with, it is the fact it is more wastefull to gave 2 groups doing the same job when one really has no expertise or training in that field.<BR/>5) Attracting new business to Raytown.<BR/><BR/>The above are not necessarily in the order of importance but all are important.<BR/><BR/>Have you been to any Board of Alderpeople meetings? I was at one meeting where there was a big arguement if $10K could be allowed in the budget for street lights now or if streetlights would be a big project in the future? The next arguement was where the street lights go? One alderwoman said, "We need to have a study." I question, do we pay several thousand dollars for a study on where to spend $10K?<BR/><BR/>Following that many bloggers were sidetracked to $10K forstreetlights which is trivial to the overall picture. It seems to me that the BOA is constantly sidetracking us away from the big issue and drawing focus to street lights, paving, and $20K for laptops. <BR/><BR/>I maintain that we need to <B>FOCUS</B> on the real issues and not be sidetracked by the smaller (or I call trivial) issues. <BR/><BR/>I had one couple look at my house and their comment was, "This street is too dark." Perhaps you should gave looked at your house at night and ruled that house out." I am looking for a house and I walk the neighbor hood of the perspective house during various times including late night.<BR/><BR/>I hope you, I, and the rest of the city get street lights; however, my focus is on the big picture. One of the cities in the metro is at the point of unincorperating so the county will maintain the streets. It is my opinion that there is a possibility if Raytown can't take control of spending it may eventually unincorporate or be annexed by another city.<BR/><BR/>Andy WhitemanAndy Whitemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13663722316994895141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-62926478180455865502007-10-27T11:15:00.000-05:002007-10-27T11:15:00.000-05:00I hope that you all are going to the Mayor's meeti...I hope that you all are going to the Mayor's meeting on Tuesday. He needs to be asked about some of the stuff I've read about here.<BR/><BR/>Especially the comments about the city administrator leaving. This makes the second city official to leave city hall in a month.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-37692487754300114202007-10-27T08:36:00.000-05:002007-10-27T08:36:00.000-05:00I've been browsing the blog and am impressed by al...I've been browsing the blog and am impressed by all the people who are visiting and joining in the give and take.<BR/><BR/>I'm a "newby" here, but I saw one comment by Andy that bothered me. He called street lights a trivial matter. <BR/><BR/>He probably has street lights in his neighborhood. Where I live it is pitch black outside at night.<BR/><BR/>Try going without your street lights for a couple of nights and you will see why those without want them so badly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-15556347487859017012007-10-26T23:58:00.000-05:002007-10-26T23:58:00.000-05:00Itellitlikeitis,You are both right and wrong. Yes...Itellitlikeitis,<BR/>You are both right and wrong. Yes, I actually care about the community I live in. That doesn't mean that I am beginning to like Raytown at all but I figure that as long as I am forced to be here, I might as well try to work to change it for the better. <BR/><BR/>It irks me to see City government missmanaged with highly paid administrators and management that aren't necessary along with tax dollars being wasted. I think if it wasn't for the Olde Baptist Church, other money wasted on downtown redevelopment (with no redevelopment taking place) and overpaid management we would have had money for street lights, paving, and much more! I would like to see management pay reduced as these job holders are replaced or eliminated through attrition or contract expiration. Also, I feel the workers should receive a liveable wage and not the pittance they receive.<BR/><BR/>I also object to the Code Nazis enforcing arbitrary ordinances with their own interpretation of what they think it means while the city is in violation of its own ordinances by owning a blighted area. Actually the average person thinks the Olde Baptist Church is private property. Perhaps a large sign shoud be posted, <B>"BLIGHTED AREA PROPERTY OF THE CITY OF RAYTOWN."</B> <BR/><BR/>These issues can be changed, but there is no way to change what bothers me the most: the horrible climate. The climate is the main reason I want to move, not the city. Besides not being able to afford to heat or cool my house, the humidity and heat cause me to have painful fungus infections. I am still house hunting so I can eventually get to a decent climate. <BR/><BR/>If anyone ever thought that I would move because of the City, they were wrong. Moving is too time consuming and expensive because of a mismanaged city.<BR/><BR/>If you don't like everything I say, that is OK. We are entitled to our own opinions. If someone will logically state an opposing opinion, I will read and consider it, but I don't pay attention to those who attack personalities. Sometimes what others say will change my opinion.Andy Whitemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13663722316994895141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-87941552553398606032007-10-26T11:06:00.000-05:002007-10-26T11:06:00.000-05:00Andy, you are beginning to sound like you actually...Andy, you are beginning to sound like you actually care about the community you live in. Could it be that you are starting to like Raytown? Hope I'm right. I may not always agree with your comments, but at least you are trying to be an active participant in our government process, wish more people really cared about the direction we are going as a city.Itellitlikeitishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07759168437324037510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-68261465536907671922007-10-25T23:40:00.000-05:002007-10-25T23:40:00.000-05:00The City needs to be run as a business. Mayor Bow...The City needs to be run as a business. Mayor Bower is a businessman. The problem is that it will take a massive reorganization of the way things are done. It would be nice if the Alderpeople would take on the big issues in a reasonable, business-like manner and not argue over the trivial (street lights, etc.) I am not saying street lights and paving are trivial, but they are a small part of the important big picture.<BR/><BR/>We need to focus on the most important issues (saving this city) first and then deal with the small, but still important items. It seems everyone is sidetracked by bickering over the small items. This is ridiculous!<BR/><BR/>Andy WhitemanAndy Whitemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13663722316994895141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-29478480641966707182007-10-25T22:56:00.000-05:002007-10-25T22:56:00.000-05:00Andy, That is a great idea, about having the mayor...Andy, That is a great idea, about having the mayor actually do something more than just run a couple of meetings a month. We need to start cutting cost and this would be a great time to do it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-61378111636677189542007-10-25T22:44:00.000-05:002007-10-25T22:44:00.000-05:00IF Mr. Miller leaves, I suggest that the position ...<B>IF</B> Mr. Miller leaves, I suggest that the position not be filled. We don't need high paid, tie wearing, seat warmers. I really believe that the Mayor should serve as City Manager and Mayor should be a full time office compensated as such.<BR/><BR/>Andy WhitemanAndy Whitemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13663722316994895141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-67302250160603915942007-10-25T17:24:00.000-05:002007-10-25T17:24:00.000-05:00I plan on being at the 7:00pm town hall meeting on...I plan on being at the 7:00pm town hall meeting on the 30th. Hope to see many of you there. Any that want to identify theirselves - I will probably have on a black "City Grounds" T-Shirt since I will be coming straight from the shop - hope you will introduce yourselves!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-48981296771061888412007-10-25T16:49:00.000-05:002007-10-25T16:49:00.000-05:00It is time for him to go.It is time for him to go.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-50833877268901871682007-10-25T16:35:00.000-05:002007-10-25T16:35:00.000-05:00Yes, the question should be raised in TOWN HALL me...Yes, the question should be raised in TOWN HALL meeting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-45568043139261359712007-10-25T16:31:00.000-05:002007-10-25T16:31:00.000-05:00PatGood job explaining your point of view. I will ...Pat<BR/>Good job explaining your point of view. I will support the audit, if it make sense.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-24089945937505829322007-10-25T16:28:00.000-05:002007-10-25T16:28:00.000-05:00Our city adminstrator has just been hear bearly 1 ...Our city adminstrator has just been hear bearly 1 year and he is already looking for another job. This can't look good for the developements if we can even keep a new CA. What are the developers going to think about both our finance director and the new CA bailing out on us. Mr. Miller is not the man he claimed to be. Also what happened to his wanting to be hear until his sons graduated fron college hear. They have not done that yet.<BR/><BR/>Everybody needs to ask our new mayor at the town hall meeting on Tuesday what's going on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-22370141991896325052007-10-25T15:19:00.000-05:002007-10-25T15:19:00.000-05:00Too funny! You all do a better job of investigati...Too funny! You all do a better job of investigative reporting than any of the "so-called" newspapers!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-17716829985931611292007-10-25T11:05:00.000-05:002007-10-25T11:05:00.000-05:00Kethcikan Daily News10/15/2007By ANDREW DAMSTEDT D...Kethcikan Daily News<BR/>10/15/2007<BR/>By ANDREW DAMSTEDT Daily News Staff Writer After three hour-long interviews Saturday morning, the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly hired Dan Bockhorst as the new borough manager. He will start Nov. 1.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-30872157848471477412007-10-25T11:02:00.000-05:002007-10-25T11:02:00.000-05:00Ketchikan Daily News9/29/07The committee picked Da...Ketchikan Daily News<BR/>9/29/07<BR/>The committee picked Dan Bockhorst of Anchorage, a local government specialist for the state; Stephen Giesbrecht, city administrator of Electra, Texas; and Michael D. Miller, city administrator for Raytown, Mo., to come for interviews with the Assembly scheduled for Oct. 13.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-8948805580040377172007-10-25T10:57:00.000-05:002007-10-25T10:57:00.000-05:00Might want to hurry with the Audit.Received this b...Might want to hurry with the Audit.<BR/><BR/>Received this bit of news from a relative stationed in the Air Force in Alaska.<BR/><BR/>It is from the Ketchikan City newspaper - http://www.ketchikandailynews.com/<BR/>It reads: <BR/>"Another manager application received <BR/>9/4/2007<BR/>Michael D. Miller, city administrator of Raytown, Mo., is the sixth candidate to have turned in an application to be the next borough manager. Borough Manager Roy Eckert has resigned effective Oct. 31".<BR/><BR/>It appears that our new City Administrator is actively job hunting to leave Raytown and the troubles he has caused.<BR/><BR/>What credibility he had remaining is now gone. <BR/><BR/>The Mayor and BOA should take immediate actions to protect the interest of the City and begin looking for a new City Administrator who has the best interest of Raytown at heart, unlike Miller.<BR/><BR/>I guess it's true what is said, when the ship starts to sink, the rats are the first to jump off.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-69158803592354280202007-10-25T09:41:00.000-05:002007-10-25T09:41:00.000-05:00I would hope the audit would cover at least the la...I would hope the audit would cover at least the last eight years and even futher back than that and that every department is audited. The results should be made public now there is news that Mr. Miller could put in the community newspaper!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-43061715017695804792007-10-25T08:16:00.000-05:002007-10-25T08:16:00.000-05:00Sparky,As I said, I don't know much about this aud...Sparky,<BR/>As I said, I don't know much about this audit but I believe is has been paid for by the police union.<BR/><BR/>Anonymous 7:37,<BR/>This is not the police officers doing this audit it is their union and since you asked what I think I will tell you.<BR/>Our police officers work hard for us in Raytown and though Raytown may not have the crime L.A. or Philadelphia do, the police are still dealing with the undesirables, and punks that can put their lives in danger with every confrontation.<BR/>What thanks did they get? After someone at City Hall made a financial mistake<BR/>they were faced with possible layoffs. So I think their union did the right and only<BR/>thing they could, try and find out what went wrong.<BR/><BR/>As many have said on this site. Taxpayer dollars have been flying out of here and in many cases without questioning why, how or where.<BR/>I must admit I haven't been to a B.O.A. meeting since the last election was held<BR/>but when I was going to them it seemed that the City Council answered to no body. You couldn't get a straight answer from any of them with the exception of one or two aldermen.<BR/>According to old minutes of past meetings and what has been printed in papers there has been enough grant money to almost payoff the old church and tear it down. Where did all that money go?<BR/><BR/>I haven't, that I recall, ever pushed for an audit. But still it doesn't seem to be<BR/>a bad idea. If it makes the taxpayers feel better about where their dollars are going it would be money well spent. Taxing people and the people not seeing much in return other than pay raises, for city management, in some cases, unjustified. Developers being paid for doing nothing.<BR/>Then hearing that there isn't enough money to do what they were told would be fixed, repaired, resurfaced and then being told that the police department needs to cut personnel along with city service personnel makes<BR/>a person wonder what the heck is going on?<BR/><BR/>Everybody in Raytown that pays taxes has the right to ask where the money is going. They also have the right to answers.Pat Casadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02753840266376084738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-53766683199417466442007-10-24T19:37:00.000-05:002007-10-24T19:37:00.000-05:00Pat - The crime rate in Raytown is twice the US av...Pat - The crime rate in Raytown is twice the US average. Don't you think Police organization should focus on that rather than playing politics. Go to US census and find out.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-50835091880565515342007-10-24T17:01:00.000-05:002007-10-24T17:01:00.000-05:00Pat, is this an audit by the State Auditor's Offic...Pat, is this an audit by the State Auditor's Office or by an Independent auditing firm? Just curious.sparkyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04867447880649690988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-39699054671186577442007-10-24T16:20:00.000-05:002007-10-24T16:20:00.000-05:00Just in case you haven't heard the Mayor is holdin...Just in case you haven't heard the Mayor is holding a Town Hall Meeting Tuesday, October 30 at City Hall. There will be 2 sessions one at 3PM and again at 7PM. As I understand it it is regarding the downtown business district. <BR/><BR/>I sure hope this is good news and something we can count on. I plan to be there hope to see you too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-89217376996719762472007-10-24T07:43:00.000-05:002007-10-24T07:43:00.000-05:00For those of you out there that have wanted an aud...For those of you out there that have wanted an audit, it appears<BR/>you wishes have come true.<BR/>It seems after the city wanted the police department to cut back,<BR/>a local police organization fronted the money for an audit.<BR/>I don't have any details on this other than they say it will happen.<BR/>I also don't know how deep the audit will go.Pat Casadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02753840266376084738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3767127531333372490.post-83764569095207836682007-10-22T15:17:00.000-05:002007-10-22T15:17:00.000-05:00Hy Vee has tied up the old Schnucks store ever sin...Hy Vee has tied up the old Schnucks store ever since they left town, thus preventing any other business from using the store. In my opinion they are no better than Wal Mart!!!! I will go to Lee's Summit Price Chopper to buy my groceries from now on. We are creating another store that will be empty. So here we go again chasing our tails. I agree the church is ugly but let's face it the city won't do anything about it until they are good and ready and who knows when that will be.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com